1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a reproduction apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus for storing print-receiving material, such as sheets of paper, to be serially fed during a reproduction cycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a reproduction apparatus, such as a copier or a printer, paper is held in a sheet supply tray and fed, one sheet at a time, during reproduction. Frequently, the sheet supply trays used in the reproduction apparatus are of the type which hold a large amount of paper; for example, a stack of 500 sheets or more. To reload the supply tray, the tray is usually slideably removed from operational engagement within the copier, a stack of paper is placed onto the tray and the tray is slideably returned to its operating position within the copier. Normally, when such high capacity sheet trays are used, they are mounted on powered elevator mechanism to vertically move the tray to a position where the top copy sheet may be transported by a feed roller system, contained within the reproduction apparatus, to the portion of the reproduction apparatus where the toner powder image is transferred from the photoconductive member to the copy sheet. This type of motor driven elevator system, however, is expensive and usually requires a higher voltage than the 110 voltage used in small low cost desk reproduction apparatus. Low cost desk reproduction apparatus, therefore, are usually restricted to using cassette paper supply trays that normally have a capacity of between 25 to 50 sheets. This avoids the need for a power elevator, since with a limited number of sheets, a spring biased tray is all that is needed to maintain the top sheet in the cassette in contact with the paper feed mechanism of the copier. Therefore, with the need for the powered elevator eliminated, the cost and power consumption associated with a power elevator is avoided making for a practical, but supply limited solution to the problem of high capacity supply trays for low cost desk copiers.
While U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,820 discloses a high capacity tray for low cost desk copiers not requiring a motorized elevator system, the tray has many cooperating parts which subject it to jamming. In addition, the tray requires operator adjustments, which if not performed properly, may lead to jamming. The present invention, unlike U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,820, requires minimal parts and has no operator adjustments, thereby minimizing the chances of jamming.